RELIGIOUS STUDIES (B.A.)
School of Arts and Sciences
The religious studies program is built around the central themes relating to spiritual questions and the ways in which the world’s major religions address such questions to give graduates a solid knowledge of the history, philosophy, and sociology of religions. A flexible look at questions and research juxtaposes the world’s religious philosophies with the traditions, beliefs, rites, ethics, communities, and cultures of a variety of faiths. The program prepares students for graduate study in such fields as religion, seminary, social work, international studies, or law. Advanced skills in reading, thinking, and writing also qualify graduates to excel in a number of fields of employment, including government service and denominational, nondenominational, and secular not-for-profit agencies.
Degree Requirements
The religious studies curriculum is composed of 36 hours of general education requirements, 42 hours of liberal arts, and 51 hours of religious studies courses.
| General Education Requirements | ||
| ENGL 101 | English Composition I | 3 |
| ENGL 102 | English Composition II | 3 |
| HUMN 300 | Religion and the Arts | 3 |
| MATH 102 | Beginning Algebra | 3 |
| SOCI 201 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| Communications elective | 3 |
|
| CIS electives | 3 |
|
| Humanities elective | 6 |
|
| Natural science elective | 6 |
|
| Social science elective | 3 |
|
| Total | 36 |
|
| Religious Studies Requirements | ||
| RELI 120 | Bible Survey | 3 |
| RELI 210 | Intro to the New Testament | 3 |
| RELI 215 | Judaism, Christianity, Islam | 3 |
| RELI 220 | Intro to the Old Testament | 3 |
| RELI 225 | Religion and Culture | 3 |
| RELI 300 | Religion and the Arts | 3 |
| RELI 309 | Eastern Religions | 3 |
| RELI 310 | Studies in the Gospels | 3 |
| RELI 320 | Islamic Civilization | 3 |
| RELI 350 | Intro to World Religions | 3 |
| RELI 400 | History of Biblical Interp | 3 |
| RELI 490 | Senior Capstone | 9 |
| Total | 42 |
|
| Degree total | 120 |
|
| Recommended Liberal Arts Courses | ||
| ASTR 201 | Understanding the Universe | 3 |
| ENGL 209 | Survey of World Literature I | 3 |
| ENGL 210 | Survey of World Literature II | 3 |
| HIST 101 | History of World Civilizations I | 3 |
| HIST 102 | History of World Civilizations II | 3 |
| PHIL 106 | Logic and Critical Thinking | 3 |
| PHIL 190 | Ethics | 3 |
| PHIL 201 | Introduction to Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL 380 | Faith and Science | 3 |
| PSYC 302 | Social Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 450 | Cognitive Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 480 | Death and Dying | 3 |
| PSYC 481 | Counseling | 3 |
| SOCI 480 | Sociology of Religion | 3 |
| Total | 42 |
|
| Suggested Sequence | ||
| First Year Fall | ||
| ENGL 101 | English Composition I | 3 |
| MATH 102 | Beginning Algebra | 3 |
| HIST 101 | History of World Civilization | 3 |
| RELI 120 | Bible Survey | 3 |
| CIS elective | 3 |
|
| Total | 15 |
|
| First Year Spring | ||
| ENGL 102 | English Composition | 3 |
| HIST 102 | History of World Civ II | 3 |
| SOCI 201 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| Humanities elective | 3 |
|
| Natural science elective | 3 |
|
| Total | 15 |
|
| Second Year Fall | ||
| HUMN 300 | Religion and the Arts | 3 |
| PHIL 106 | Logic and Critical Thinking | 3 |
| PHIL 201 | Intro to Philosophy | 3 |
| PSYC 201 | General Psychology | 3 |
| RELI 220 | Intro to the Old Testament | 3 |
| RELI 350 | World Religions | 3 |
| Total | 18 |
|
| Second Year Spring | ||
| ASTR 201 | Understanding the Universe | 3 |
| ENGL 210 | Survey of World Literature II | 3 |
| PHIL 190 | Ethics | 3 |
| RELI 210 | Intro to the New Testament | 3 |
| RELI 215 | Judaism, Christianity, Islam | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
|
| Third Year Fall | ||
| PSYC 302 | Social Psychology | 3 |
| RELI 225 | Religion and Culture | 3 |
| RELI 360 | Literature of Religions | 3 |
| Natural sciences elective | 3 |
|
| Communications elective | 3 |
|
| Total | 15 |
|
| Third Year Spring | ||
| PHIL 380 | Faith and Science | 3 |
| RELI 309 | Eastern Religions | 3 |
| RELI 310 | Studies in the Gospels | 3 |
| RELI 320 | Islamic Civilization | 3 |
| Social science elective | 3 |
|
| RELI elective (300-level) | 3 |
|
| Total | 18 |
|
| Fourth Year Fall | ||
| PSYC 450 | Cognitive Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 480 | Death and Dying | 3 |
| RELI 400 | History of Biblical Interp | 3 |
| Humanities elective | 3 |
|
| Total | 12 |
|
| Fourth Year Spring | ||
| PSYC 481 | Counseling | 3 |
| SOCI 480 | Sociology of Religion | 3 |
| RELI 490 | Senior Capstone | 9 |
| Total | 15 |
|
| Degree total | 120 |
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